Be Confident. That does not mean be arrogant. It means that you assert yourself in a positive way. Confidence is the cornerstone of leadership. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can others believe in you?

As children we think we can conquer the world, but somewhere between childhood and adulthood, our enthusiasm and natural inclinations to dream big are squashed. Parents and teachers start imposing their own beliefs—about what we can and can’t do in life—upon us.

Find your limits by exposing yourself to different situations and pushing through the uncomfortable. Once you have confidence in yourself, you’ll be amazed what you can accomplish.Your brain has a built-in confirmation bias. That means it stores information that is consistent with your own beliefs, values and self-image.

Talking to yourself can make you smarter, improve your memory, help you focus and even increase athletic performance. The documentary The Human Brain claims we say between 300 to 1,000 words to ourselves per minute. The Navy SEALS and Special Forces use the power of positive self-talk as a way of getting through tough times.

Be positive, because the way you talk to yourself influences your neurobiological response to it. When you say, I know what to do here or see things as a challenge rather than a problem, you’ve turned your response into a positive one.

If you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect anybody else to?

Start today.